Knee decisions — 2009

The Veteran's low back disability manifested by spondylosis and left knee disability, including postoperative residuals of a ligament injury with degenerative changes, are service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected skin disabilities (psuedofolliculitis barbae and acne keloidalis nuchae) were combined to enable a higher, 30 percent, rating. Sleep apnea was found to be incurred in service, while the other claims for weight gain and left knee disability were denied.

The case is remanded for a new VA examination to determine the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected right knee degenerative joint disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board promulgated a decision, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding no evidence of a more severe disability or causation by exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating or establish service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for jaw and bilateral arm disorders, as well as the attempts to reopen claims for headaches, ear disorder, left knee and leg disorder, right knee and leg disorder were denied. The ratings for major depressive disorder and low back disability were also not increased.

The Veteran withdrew all nine issues on appeal, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review the denial of these claims.

The Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is not manifested by extension to 20 degrees or flexion limited to even 60 degrees, and therefore a rating in excess of 20 percent is denied.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development of evidence related to the appellant's claims.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for residuals of cold weather injury and residuals of right knee injury to the RO for further development.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development, including an examination to determine if a left knee disability exists and whether it was caused or aggravated by service-connected disabilities.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and possibly a new examination due to the veteran's reported knee replacement surgery.

The Board denied service connection for right knee, left knee, and back disabilities as they were not attributable to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for arthritis of the knees, elbows, and ankles to afford the Veteran a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left knee disorders were denied, while an initial evaluation of 10 percent was granted for lumbar strain.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee impairment of tibia is rated at 20 percent, and the Board found that a higher rating was not warranted.

The Veteran is entitled to a higher level of SMC compensation at a rate authorized pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(m), plus an intermediate level authorized under 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(f)(3).

The Board denied increased initial evaluations for various service-connected disabilities, except for a 20 percent evaluation for limitation of pronation of the left (major) elbow and an increased evaluation from 10 percent to 20 percent for shell fragment wounds, right (minor) forearm.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, myopia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).